Well, actually Phorm’s ideas are, if not that exciting in terms of what they’re doing with data, a valid attempt to try and personalise advertising content for users.  By observing what individual users do (in “buckets” of interest category), and then replacing ads within the OIX with ads that match that category, they are at least attempting to deliver more interesting and relevant content. 

They are heavily restricted by their domain of influence (ad spaces within OIX sites), and by the fact that the hyperbolically negative PR (or justified concern, depending on your viewpoint) has restricted what they actually store about a user’s behaviour. 

So where is the benefit as a user in this area of behavioural targeting?  Well, ideally the targeter will work as a “trusted friend”, providing input and ideas for that user based on everything they know about that person.  Trusted friends have access to a fair amount of information – the more trusted, the more information.  They (ideally) won’t share that information, abuse or expose it.  And ultimately their suggestions will motivated by being to the benefit to the USER.  Advertisers, shops, other people – all come second.

That, anyway, is where I think this industry is heading, slowly (and often unwillingly).  And so the winners in this market space will have found a way to take the position of that trusted friend, and grow the trust, the profile and the benefit over time.

No suprise that I’m working on just such an idea…